It is time to embrace freedom with the Alpine Eagle Flying Tourbillon watch, which graces the cover of our summer edition in all its majesty. Entirely produced within the Chopard Manufacture, this exceptional timepiece has earned two certifications attesting as it were to its technical qualities and fine workmanship: the chronometer label issued by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) and the Poinçon de Genève stamp.
Supported by the lower bridge and visible through an aperture at 6 o'clock, the flying tourbillon, completed by a small second hand, dances unhindered,
capturing the attention of the eye. This hypnotic, vertiginous point of convergence is accentuated by the radiant motif of the Aletsch Blue dial, reminiscent of an eagle's iris. Contoured by index markers and Roman numerals, the hours and minutes are displayed in the centre by means of a pair of batontype hands. The entire case is in white gold filled with Super-LumiNova® X1. The 41mm diameter and 8mm thick case, capped by a bezel fitted with four pairs of screws at the cardinal points, is made of Lucent Steel A223, an allergenic steel more resistant and luminous than traditional steel. It houses
the L.U.C 96.24-L calibre, a self-winding movement with a 3.5hz rhythm. It is powered by two superimposed Chopard Twin cylinders providing an energy reserve of 65 hours. Its 22-carat gold micro-rotor as well as the meticulous decoration are visible through the sapphire crystal adorning the case back.
ARCEAU LE TEMPS VOYAGEUR
Under normal circumstances, I’m never anxious at all about writing this modest preamble that opens the doors to a wonderful, new issue. Words burst forth instantly like a roar of thunder, sentences line up like a bolt of lightning in my mind as, in the same breath, I bring them to life on virtual paper, aka a Word document. My writing tends to flow, is always sincere, and my editorial pieces are usually visible to the eye in one go, in just a few minutes.
But not this time round. Today, I can’t seem to find the words. I must confess, I’m already on my second version of this editorial, something that’s never happened before in over ten years of experience, I’ve never written a rough draft or sketched a detailed plan since high school, I rarely jot down notes and just let my pen (well, fingers on the keypad) go with instincts and inspiration.
I’m beating about the bush here because I can’t control the ambivalent sweet madness that’s currently dwelling inside me. My problem? Sharing the joy of seeing summer donning its golden cloak, holidays taking shape, swimming with a dive watch on the wrist and bursts of laughter to come at a time when everything seems to be going wrong on our planet, from the
weariness of a pandemic that urged us to talk about life before whilst we imagined life after and filled ourselves with hope, through the terror of the atrocious war on European soil that strikes us dumb, to the fear of learning that we’ve only got three years left to take radical action to help our amazing Earth.
And yet...
And yet... perhaps if we focus on what’s good, what’s beautiful and even what’s incredible, we’ll be able to face the
global turmoil. I relive the emotion I felt a few weeks ago when I entered the hall at Palexpo that was hosting Watches and Wonders after two years of “physical” absence, the surprise upon discovering its transformation, the pleasure to touch and try on watches that gave me a buzz, the joy to meet up with our community dedicated to time and all the people I love, the sense of pride on noticing that a host of brands are now committed to an eco-friendly strategy. Oh, there are still improvements to be made to the formidable fabric, i.e. our industry, but its strength, its creativity and its resilience fascinate me.
And yet... despite the challenges we’re all totally aware of, life goes on like a sail left open to the wind, a watch that will never need to be wound up to continue to display time passing by. We all need to get away, at least spiritually-speaking, to dream, and yes, it’s true, I keep coming back to the power of our imagination and to what it enables us to achieve. The pages that follow are a getaway to a realm where the creative, technical, state-of-the-art, ancestral, artistic work of women and men, who I admire greatly, is celebrated. A place where watchmaking weaves its magic.
SQUARE BANG UNICO
Black ceramic case. In-house UNICO chronograph movement. Limited to 250 pieces.
There is something quite fascinating about understanding the world through science in the broadest sense, yet one of the fields that most appeals to the left side of my brain is physics.
The concept of time in physics is quite compelling. The first person to include it in formulating a law of physics was Galileo. From observing falling objects, he deduced that the speed of the object falling is proportional to the duration of the fall. In other words, an object falling for three seconds moves three times faster than one falling for only one second. Subsequently, Newton introduced this parameter into his equations. He went even further, arguing in his Principia mathematica of 1687, that all instances of time are equivalent everywhere in the universe. In a way, a sort of universal time. The present moment would thereby be common to all, whether in Geneva, Monaco, or on Pluto.
However, this principle was called into question at the beginning of the 20th century by Albert Einstein whose work signalled a major turning point in our conception of the world. His
two theories, special relativity in 1905 and then general relativity in 1915, demonstrated that time and space are interconnected. This phenomenon can be illustrated by using the example of a solar flare on the one hand and a meteorite striking Mars on the other, both of which, according to Newton, take place at the same time. For Einstein, if the observer is standing on Mars, the falling meteorite will appear to him before he perceives the solar flare. Conversely, if he is located on the Sun, the flare will appear before the meteorite touches the Martian surface. In other words, time is relative, depending on the observer's point of view.
Some tangible applications prove that this phenomenon is indeed real, such as the experiment of Joseph Hafele and Robert Keating in 1971. Three atomic clocks were placed on board different commercial flights to circle our planet twice, while a fourth one remained in place. Upon their return, these clocks, which are off by only a few seconds over a span of several thousand years, all became
desynchronized. So naturally we may ask ourselves, does time really exist? Are there several times?
Both Newton's laws and the theory of relativity perfectly clarify the phenomena we observe, even though they do not follow the same approach to time. To this day, there is no unified principle of our conception of time. This leaves the field wide open for future discoveries. Maybe one day we will be able to answer these questions: what is the motor of time? Did the universe experience a zero moment? Will time ever end?
Editeur/Publisher
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Rédactrice en chef/Editor-in-Chief Sharmila Bertin sbertin@ace-publishing.com
Designer graphique/Graphic designer Marie Anthonioz Contributeurs/Contributors Matthieu Allègre - Sharmila Bertin Mathilde Binetruy - Dan Diaconu Balazs Ferenczi - Mickael Gautier Ryo Saeba - Benjamin Teisseire
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including two Guinness World RecordsTM, Best of the Best awards from both a UNESCO distinction as well as Red Dot Design and Robb Report.
BEST OF THE BEST Louis Moinet has won almost 50 of the most prestigious international awards, www.louismoinet.com
Like a cloud that delicately kisses the soft amethyst-hued rays of a setting sun, the new Big Bang Tourbillon Automatic Purple Sapphire is a liberated, ethereal watch that gives you wings. Life was breathed into this piece, issued in just 50 pieces, through the audacious mission that the highly-creative Hublot set itself over four decades ago when it chose to make the wildest dreams reality by whisking watchmaking off to another dimension and reinterpreting its traditional codes. It embodies the firm’s modern-day vision to merge yesterday and tomorrow, to combine the regulator, i.e. the tourbillon, that’s admittedly
complicated but classical with an upto-the-minute material that it has been focusing its research and development on for some fifteen years now: synthetic sapphire.
Its impressive 40 mm-diameter case adorns a consistent translucent violet colour, with its bezel centre staging the six iconic titanium “H” screws. This crystalclear dial showcases the HUB6035 manufacture calibre, a 3 Hz automatic motor that delivers a power reserve of 72 hours and drives the hours, minutes and skeletonized tourbillon. The latter, twirling at 6 o’clock, flirts symmetrically with the dancing Hublot-logoed micro-
rotor poised on its weight at 12 o’clock. The silvered-edged indexes, Arabic numerals and baton-style hand, fringed by a white minute tracker on the flange, are harmoniously enhanced with plumshaded luminescent material.
A matching ribbed rubber strap, attached by a titanium folding clasp and equipped with the One Click fast change system, wraps this dazzling watch around the wrist elegantly.
So, no point in beating about the bush: the Historiques 222 watch, modern-day reinterpretation of Jorg Hysek’s 1977 creation for Vacheron Constantin’s 222nd anniversary, is without a doubt one of the most exquisite pieces showcased during Watches and Wonders. “It reiterates the flamboyant spirit of the 70s” explains Christian Selmoni, Style and Heritage Director of the Genevabased brand, “and we decided to include the yellow gold model, known as ‘Jumbo’ in the Historiques collection”. This reference 44018 is the rarest of all as it was produced in just a hundred pieces between 1977 and 1985 and is
the most sought-after for collectors. The 2022 version remains faithful to the assets of its elder sibling’s personality, such as the 37 mm diameter, the fluted bezel, the golden dial, the central baton-shaped hour and minute hands, the integrated bracelet with hexagonal links and the white-gold Maltese Cross – Vacheron Constantin’s emblem – set at 5 o’clock on the case. Nonetheless, it also boasts elements in tune with its generation: the automatic manufacture 2455/2 calibre that beats at a frequency of 4 Hz, delivers a power reserve of 40 hours and displays an exclusive oscillating weight visible
through the transparent caseback, finishes and adornments on the case and movement, a date aperture at 3 o’clock slightly offset towards the centre, green-glowing ivory Super-LumiNova® “to enhance the vintage style” states Christian Selmoni, and a triple-blade folding clasp to emphasize the bracelet that’s been reworked and is now sleeker. A pure wonder!
This time round, dusky Jet Black, Ceratanium® grey, sandy Mojave Desert, dark Woodland green and white Lake Tahoe adorn IWC’s squadron of Top Gun Chronograph Pilot’s Watches. These references all stand out with their case boasting a colour created by Pantone®, the American firm specialized in standardized hues. Their other particularity? They’re made of ceramic. The use of this material is by no means unheard of for the Schaffhausen manufacture. It’s a trailblazer in the field. In 1986, the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar featured a case crafted in this state-of-theart material. Ditto for Rado where it
would become its signature. In 1990, the Ceramica combined a case and a bracelet totally fashioned in ceramic. This chemical compound produced using
zirconium oxide or alumina is endowed with remarkable characteristics: it’s light, scratch-resistant – has a hardness of 7 Mohs, diamond 10 – anti-allergic, immutable.
Its outstanding dazzle, its intensity, its ability to take on polished and matt finishes also make the composite interesting from a stylistic stance. Nonetheless, for years on end, this material was only proposed in two colours, like in Chanel’s J12. In 2000, the watch went for a black-hued robe. Three years later, the Parisian brand’s iconic model opted for an immaculate summery adornment. Given manufacturing process complexity, it’s somewhat delicate to obtain coloured ceramic. A host of steps must be undertaken to finalize a highquality product. Rado showcased its first plasma ceramic case in 1998. Shades
a HosT of sTEps musT bE undErTakEn To finalizE a HigH-qualiTy producT.
of grey sparked the senses and played with light. Developing materials would become a challenge to meet for brands. Each would optimize its own process. Rolex perfected its Cerachrom bezel in 2010. Then in 2014, the Geneva-based brand unveiled the first-ever blue and red two-tone rotating device. This year, the GMT-Master II, equipped with a crown and date on the left, adorns a bezel combining black and green in the solid material.
For Only Watch 2013, the charity watch event, Hublot proposed a creation topped with a carmine ceramic bezel. In 2018, the Nyon manufacture went for intense red yet again with its Big Bang Unico Red Magic. Since then, the mastery gained in firing pigments has pushed back the limits of possibilities. The Big Bang Integral 2022 is rolled
out in ultramarine blue, sky blue, green and beige.
In 2021, Richard Mille centre staged a trio of RM 07-01 Coloured Ceramics. The blue, pink and lavender of the inserts jazz up wrists with pastel tones. Ceramic may be exclusive yet it’s not elitist. Take for example Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch that reiterates the iconic Speedmaster design with a case fashioned in Bioceramic, a compound made from ceramic and castor oil extract. This innovation offers a palette of various hues. “Learn to think in colour and you’ll see the world differently” exclaims the French researcher and historian Michel Pastoureau. Ceramic plays a role here. Forever.
sharmila Bertin
Watchmaking is detailed, fascinating, and is appreciated like an epistolary fresco, a novel that’s occasionally intriguing where we love getting carried away by the intensity of its tale. The narrative dons an archaeological angle by addressing the origins of humanity, journeying through time and finishing off looking towards the future. It conjures up the paths of savants, great experiments that lead to great discoveries for the inquisitive-minded, changes in lifestyles and, in turn, expectations when it comes to watches. This epic embraces two fundamental constants deep within its heart, love for fine craftsmanship
and the transmission of knowledge, two traditional elements that, more frequently than not, are passed on from parents to children. The genealogical
tree illustrating the sector history is abloom with watchmaking families, but the ones who keep contemporary-day roots alive can virtually be counted on the fingers of one hand.
In 1980, a young man, passionate about outdoor and mountain activities, submitted an audacious idea to the head of the firm he had just joined. His name was Karl-Friedrich Scheufele and he was working in Chopard, the firm founded by Louis-Ulysse Chopard (1836-1915) in 1860 in the Berne municipality of Sonvilier and bought almost a century later, in 1963, by the young man’s father, Karl Scheufele III, a German watchmaker and jeweller, who ran it with his wife Karin.
The watchmaking vision that dwelled deep inside Karl-Friedrich Scheufele,
in 1980, karl friEdricH scHEufElE wisHEd To work wiTH sTEEl likE onE would work wiTH a noblE mETal.
which most likely conveyed this twentytwo-year-old’s contagious fervour, was different, modern, intrepid and perhaps even a bit disruptive for the times. In a nutshell, he wished to work with steel like one would work with a noble metal to adorn the sports watch he had imagined whereas the catalogue of the period mainly focused on dress watches, these elegant, classical timepieces created in gold and very much in fashion during the
second half of the 20th century. Through perseverance and animated by his own determination, the future Co-President eventually convinced his father and the St. Moritz watch, named after the Alpine ski resort encircling a frozen lake in the canton of Les Grisons where he loved to speed down the snow-covered slopes, rapidly took shape. The model was a huge success and Chopard produced around 50,000 pieces, proposed in a myriad of versions and references over
almost twenty years before choosing to store this first-ever sports watch made of steel in its archives. Times change, tastes move on.
Of course, times change and tastes move on, yet life is made of cycles and meanders that appear and disappear and, two decades on, i.e. the equivalent of a generation, another member of the Scheufele clan acted out practically the same scene as the one from the 1980s.
In the eagle’s nest Karl-Fritz Scheufele, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s son, and third generation of the family, would play a pivotal role in Chopard in 2019. The young man, in his early twenties, accidentally came across the St. Moritz and proposed to give it a new lease of life in line with current-day standards. As his father rejected the idea, he turned to his grandfather and, together, they worked on revitalizing the watch and finished off by being persuasive enough that a new collection was born. Alpine Eagle. Everything in this piece and in
the resultant range of products (a dozen references) focuses on the powerfulness and beauty of fauna and flora, of the impressive wild, rocky
expanses of the Alps. The embossed dial was created using galvanic treatment to reinterpret the iris of a large bird of prey’s piercing eye, and coloured using a palette borrowed from the steep, rugged landscape: Aletsch
blue like the Valais glacier, Bernina grey on a par with Les Grisons’ range of mountains and Sils grey drawn from the sometimes tempestuous water of the lake that connects the eponymous village with that of Maloja, also in the high Engadine Valley. The sturdy case, waterproof to depths of 100 m, is available in two diameters, 41 mm (Large) and 36 mm (Small), and boasts a case middle where metal “hills” emerge on each side, embracing in turn a crown, set on the right side, stamped with a wind rose, companion for freedomloving explorers. To enhance the mineral spirit of this composition,
THE Xl cHrono modEl, unvEilEd in 2020, is THE collEcTion’s firsT complicaTion.
the large satin-brushed bezel with its polished chamfering is equipped with four pairs of screws set on the cardinal points. Stylistic codes already introduced in the original St. Moritz. The ensemble is streamlined and sleek, thanks to the link bracelet that merges harmoniously with the case featuring solid lugs.
The COSC chronometer-certified self-winding calibres, the 01.01-C (power reserve of 60 hours), nestling in the Large version and the 09.01-C (42 hours) in the Small version, drive the hours, minutes, seconds in the centre, with or without a date at 4:30 depending on the model.
Because the use of steel, born out of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s determination forty years before, goes hand-in-hand with the creation of the St. Moritz, the arrival of the Alpine Eagle three years ago offered the opportunity to introduce a new alloy, Lucent Steel A223, which required four years of research and development to produce. The metal was reworked a second time to remove any impurities left and to obtain a material whose composition was anti-allergenic, harder and as such around 50% more resistant to abrasion and corrosion than traditional steel, and as luminous as the reflection
of the sun on snow. The silky dazzle of the metal, comprising 70% recycled steel, is of incomparable intensity.
Lucent Steel A223, the signature of the
Alpine Eagle collection, was chosen to craft the case – brushed bezel, pushers for the chronograph start/stop/ reset function and the engraved crown included on the full-steel model – 44
mm diameter and 13.15 mm thickness of the XL Chrono model unveiled in 2020, the collection’s first complication. The dial of this powerful yet delicate watch, available in Aletsch blue or Absolute Black for the two-tone variation that blends Lucent Steel A223 with elements fashioned in ethical rose gold, reiterates the aquiline iris effect but is embellished with different snailed counters (running seconds at 6 o’clock, minute and hour totalizers, driven by the central direct-drive, respectively at 3 o’clock and at 9 o’clock) and a date display aperture (at 4:30), all fringed by a tachymetric scale running around the flange. These
EvEryTHing in THE alpinE EaglE waTcH focusEs on THE powErfulnEss and bEauTy of naTurE.
displays, complemented by the flyback and stop-second functions, are driven by the 03.05-C calibre, an automatic movement that beats at a standard frequency of 4 Hz and delivers a comfortable power reserve of 60 hours. The ballet of the decorated oscillating weight can be admired through the sapphire-crystal porthole that adorns the caseback.
This chronograph joins the Alpine Eagle family along with new threehand models, Large ethical rose gold versions and Small Lucent Steel A223 ones crowned with diamonds.
Two years after being launched, the collection continues to grow. The Alpine Eagle has become the blank canvas for expressing creative genius, mechanical genius, totally in tune with the vision of a young, persuasive man, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, who would become Co-President twenty
years later. His quest for chronometric precision led him to founding Chopard Manufacture in 1996, in Fleurier, at the very heart of the Neuchâtel region of Val-de-Travers, a key cog in the creation of Chopard watches, the development of new projects and the brand’s independence. In this laboratory specializing in fine watchmaking, he develops useful, classical complications and, for a few exclusive timepieces, marvellous, high-frequency movements. The L.U.C. 01.06-L calibre, imagined in 2012, inaugurated this last category, followed by the L.U.C 01.09-L calibre and, finally, the Chopard 01.12-C. To encase this powerful motor flaunting formidable precision that beats at 8 Hz, i.e. twice as fast as the standard 4 Hz frequency, and delivers a power reserve of 60 hours once fully wound, the option chosen was titanium, a light, resistant metal whose grey hue is darker than steel. On the hand-
patinated Vals grey dial – yet another reference to the geography of Les Grisons – the indexes and Roman XII numeral are rhodium-plated applique-style, coated with SuperLumiNova ®, just like the batonshaped hour and minute hands. The direct-drive features a counterpoise whose design resembles a bird’s feather. “8HZ CHRONOMETER” is mentioned under the Chopard logo at 12 o’clock whilst, the bottom of the dial, at 6 o’clock, sports an arrow hallmark symbolizing the brand’s high-frequency movements.
This 250-piece limited Alpine Eagle Cadence 8HF joins the collection along with the Frozen variations, pieces available in Large and Small versions, crafted in ethical rose or white gold and strewn with diamonds, and the ceramized titanium and ethical rose gold XL Chrono accompanied by a black calfskin strap.
In 2022, after years that were incredibly inventive in spite of the covid pandemic, the Alpine Eagle collection celebrates its third anniversary with an outstanding piece, totally created in the Chopard manufacture and doubly certified, firstly, by the COSC that endorses its chronometric performances and, secondly, by the prestigious Seal of Geneva (Poinçon de Genève), iconic and synonymous with fine watchmaking excellence. The flying tourbillon, enthralling with its swirling ballet, and completed here by a small seconds, arrives on the scene in this range of products to delight those whose
gaze is instantly drawn to this device, an emotion heightened even more by the sunburst pattern of the Aletsch blue dial. This mesmerizing regulator, invented by
an opening at 6 o’clock. The 41 mm-diameter and 8 mm-thick case, dressed in Lucent Steel A223, hosts the L.U.C 96.24-L calibre self-wound via a 22-carat gold micro-rotor, which beats at the gentle frequency of 3.5 Hz (25,200 vibrations an hour). This high-performing motor embraces Chopard Twin technology, i.e. two stacked barrels, which delivers a power reserve of 65 hours.
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747–1823) in 1801 to counter the harmful effects of the Earth’s gravity that affected the smooth running of pocket watches, is supported by the lower bridge and visible through
We get carried away by this joyful dance that seems unstoppable, we dream of immersing ourselves in this grey-blue gaze once we’ve attached the large-linked Lucent Steel A223 bracelet to our wrist.
The journey, which has taken us from the banks of Lake Geneva to the icy peaks of the Alps, via the hilly slopes of Neuchâtel, is coming to an end. Here though, there’s no conclusion because it’s not really a written piece of work where we’d devour chapter upon chapter night after night, there’s no epilogue because the tale has no end. If truth be told, it’s but the beginning and this Romanesque, family-style fresco continues to write its lines as time passes by, observes future generations as they shape themselves discreetly by learning the ancestral art of mechanical exquisiteness from older ones so that, one day, perhaps
they’ll hold the incandescent flame of watchmaking creativeness in their own hands and come up with new ideas to ensure the occasionally-complex yet ever-so fascinating craft of mastering time is perpetuated. Just like with nature. Just like the role eagles take on when they teach their offspring, once they’ve flown from the nest for the first time, flapped their wings with might for the first time, to hunt for the first time to ensure their line of extraordinary birds is perpetuated.
Pack up your bags. Escape from everyday life to a secluded house with a view overlooking the sea, far from mass tourism. Head off to discover a country, a region, or simply a town. Explore the deep blue sea; let yourself be carried away by the waves even if mermaids don't exist. Following routes by land or sea offers the opportunity to maintain a sense of curiosity. A Tuareg proverb states that "travelling is going from oneself to oneself by way of others". Every journey makes some people disoriented, while enabling others to find their bearings. Astonishment is the effect brought about upon discovering the new GMT-
Master II. Is it due to the presence of the bidirectional rotating bezel insert, black and green, in Cerachrom ceramic? Rolex mastered it perfectly as of 2014 when
creating this two-tone timepiece. Could it be its dial providing an incomparable reading of the time data? The Geneva manufacturer excels in refined and highly legible compositions and has done so
for decades. What is surprising is without a doubt the positioning of the crown and the date. For the first time, these two functions are placed on the left side of the metal case. This originality in no way detracts from its ability to comfortably manage the display of two time zones. The 3285 automatic calibre, certified Superlative Chronometer, built into the 40 mm-diameter steel case, ensures precision timekeeping worldwide by orchestrating the pair of hands dedicated to local and reference time. Surprises keep our senses alert. Sometimes our brain can play tricks on us. For just a few seconds, benign cognitive disorders can disrupt our sense
THERE aRE nO nUmbERs PROViDing anY cLUE TO THE FacT THaT wE aRE inDEED EncOUnTERing a TRaVEL waTcH.
of certainty. Watchmaking holds the gift of recreating them with the help of heuristic know-how. Parmigiani Fleurier sets our minds abuzz. On the magnificent blue dial adorned with a very pure "Barley Grain" guilloche pattern of the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante, only two perforated rhodium-plated gold hands are visible. There are no numbers, no graduated bezels, or any other element providing a clue to the fact that we are indeed encountering a travel watch. As director Christopher Nolan reminds us in his film The Prestige, every sleight of hand is made up of three acts. "The first is known as the promise: the magician presents you with something ordinary. The second is referred to as the trick: the magician uses this ordinary thing to accomplish something extraordinary. However, you can't bring yourself to
applaudyet,becausemakingsomething disappear is not good enough, you have to make it reappear. And so, you try to find the secret, without being able to because, of course, you are not watchingcarefully.Youdon'treallywant to know... You prefer to be mystified." The manufacturer succeeds in this illusion with maestria. One press on the pink gold push-button discreetly housed in the crown? A further hand machined from the same precious metal appears. Once back in one's own country, the secondary time-zone display is no longer necessary. Another push on the button and the two hour hands are once again superimposed. Globe-trotters in pursuit of aestheticism are ecstatic. They are again when they contemplate the Hermès Arceau Le temps voyageur watch. Since 1978, the Parisian brand
never ceases to enchant watchmaking. Its poetic vision takes you on a journey to the very edge of the imagination. This year's latest addition carries on this tradition by offering a novel alternative to the GMT function. Its dial sets the tone. It assumes the features of a dreamlike equestrian world map with multiple finishes designed by French graphic artist Jérôme Colliard and produced for the 2016 Saut Hermès Paris. An offcentre circle enables local time to be read off. This satellite positions itself on one of the 24 time zones by means of the push-button at 9 o'clock. Each press of the button advances the hour hand in unison. Among the reference cities, 24 FBG appears in place of the French capital in a nod to the saddler's historic address. To remind you where you originated, a large window at 12 o'clock displays the time of your home country. Available in 38 and 41 mm, in
a monochrome blue or anthracite colour scheme, this timepiece can be worn on all wrists to straddle the world, like the times in which we live.
Change your point of view. Find a new angle. This is also what Patek Philippe suggests with the reference 5231G featuring a self-winding movement equipped with the world time complication. The composition is well known. Louis Cottier imagined it in the 1930s. For this variation positioned within a white gold case measuring 38.5 mm in diameter, the brand reminds us that the earth's centre of gravity is constantly shifting. The geocentric perception of Europe is a thing of the past. Thus, at the heart of its dial, a representation of South-East Asia, Oceania, and the Pacific Ocean comes to life in colour using the delicate technique of Grand Feu cloisonné
enamel. Excellent craftsmanship continually reinvents the world.
More classical without being too formal, the Black Bay Pro unveiled this year by Tudor captivates thanks to its dimensions. Its 39mm-diameter steel case combined with a fixed graduated bezel reveals a tool Watch personality that inspires one to take it on a journey across every continent. Its dual timezone obtained thanks to the "Snowflake" type hands, including a 24-hour hand, and the presence of an Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) certified calibre with a 70-hour power reserve, all contribute to making this model particularly attractive. To enhance
legibility, the markers are machined in one-piece luminous ceramic. "Details are not simply details. They create the design." More than ever, the philosophy of the designer Charles Eames (19071978) takes on its full meaning with the 2022 vintage travel watches. Watchmakers are constantly expanding the boundaries.
In April 2022 in Courchevel, there was a snowstorm enough to flay the cattle, yet not enough to overpower the "Beast". On the slopes, Alexis Pinturault is beyond reproach. A cap on his head, ski goggles, and voilà, the ski champion can slash across the slopes with his eyes closed or almost. He is fully acquainted with every run, anticipates the slightest bump, and laughs off the weather: "It's not groomed? No big deal, it's like slicing through butter." "Pintu" stands for controlled mastery and passion ingrained in his body. The first time the partner of Richard Mille stepped
into a pair of skies, he was only two years old. He was condemned to the slopes for life. His insatiable passion for speed and his drive for victory
were successfully put into practice on the slopes across several disciplines: slalom, giant, super-G, and combined. He won a bronze medal at the Sochi Olympics in 2014, bronze and silver in
Pyeongchang in 2018, as well as the Crystal Globe in 2021, to name but a few. For nearly thirty years, this Viking, half-Norwegian through his mother, has been plying the Alpine circuit with the same determination: "There are two things that are important to me in my sport: pushing my limits and having fun". On the wrist of the young French skier: his ultra-thin, ultra-light RM 67-02 Automatic watch. He wears it during every training session and in the starting gate of every competition. Weighing only 32 grams, its composite materials - TPT® quartz bezel and back, TPT® carbon case - make it the perfect
for his sport. It was custom designed to perfectly fit the skier's morphology and withstand the gates when skiing in full descent. As proof, even on a snowy day, he doesn't miss a beat.
In 2021, you took the overall crystal globe at the conclusion of an extraordinary season. This year, you dreamed of adding an Olympic gold medal to your record of achievement, alas you came up short. Would you say that your resilient, patient nature helps you deal with these two emotionally opposing events?
Without a doubt, yes. I'm an optimist by nature; that's what helps me keep things in perspective. The years spent at the top level taught me to analyse the competition afterwards, to understand what works and what doesn't. I don't dwell on a single failure
like I used to; I learn from it to bounce back.
Taking a step back, is this something innate in you?
Not especially, although I learned to clear my mind since Saint-Moritz. (In February 2017,heenteredtheWorldChampionships as the favourite and finished in 10th place, editor's note). The weight of demands, expectations, and the pressure, I manage them much better now that I have a team supporting me. I currently have six people looking after me: two coaches, a physical trainer, a technician, a physiotherapist, and a press agent.
Your press agent is your wife, Romane?
We met at the French national training high-school in Albertville fourteen years ago. She accompanies me as often as possible as does the rest of the team.
The staff, my family, the Courchevel resort, this is your base?
It's my base! It all started at my grandparents' hotel, which became my parents' hotel and where my sister is now the director (the Annapurna, editor's note). I learned to ski in Courchevel, that's where it all started.
What played a role in your career choice?
I could have been a footballer; I really loved the game. However, in the sport of football, you have to be detected, whereas in skiing, it's the results that determine whether or not you are selected. At the age of twelve, my Sports Club encouraged me to stick with skiing. I then left my home in Annecy to come and spend every winter in the resort to train more intensively.
Do you still play football?
Not only that, I'm crazy about sports in general: tennis, wakeboarding, golf,
and others. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to enjoy them all.
You formed quite a powerful bond with the public. You are a shining example to others. And for yourself, who was your hero when you were a kid?
Ah that's a trick question because I didn't really have a role model. Maybe because I didn't watch sports on TV at the time. I preferred being outside, playing in the open air.
You turned thirty last year, what would you say to the kid you were back then?
I would say to him that the most important thing in a high-level sports career is to stay focused on your objectives and to enjoy yourself. And also, to surround yourself with good people.
This is where the choice of partners becomes important?
Absolutely! With Richard Mille, we built up a relationship over the last seven years. We understand each other very well. It's a natural, almost obvious relationship.
The watch you are wearing - the RM 6702 Automatic - did you participate in its design?
I needed a lightweight, slim watch that would disappear from my mind during a competition. There are two main criteria for me: the weight and technical features. We discussed extensively with the brand's teams, especially as regards resistance. Its 32-gram case is made of Carbon TPT® and Quartz TPT, ensuring exceptional resistance to shocks. When
in direct contact out there on the slopes, the watch is living dangerously (laughs)
Were you a fan of watches in the past?
The Courchevel ski resort offered me a watch when I became Junior World Champion in 2009. That was the beginning of the story.
And how do you envision the future?
Richard Mille is like a family! They stand firmly behind me. I still have many more victories in my sights. I don't have an Olympic gold medal yet but I have four years to prepare for it (smiles)
"PinTu", also nicknamEd THE "bEasT", was boTTlEfEd on ExcEllEncE sincE HE was a cHild.
"Form follows function - this has been misunderstood. Form and function must be one, united in a spiritual union". How can this idea of the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) be applied? The Hora Mundi introduced by Breguet in 2011 provides the answer to this question by means of an appropriate display. Its case introduces an important first: a double time zone with memory and an immediate time change. "This was originally a complication presented in the Classique collection. This watch is equipped with a mechanical system that is extremely complex to construct, manufacture, and assemble, yet
remarkably simple to use", stressed Lionel a Marca, CEO of Breguet, in an exclusive interview.
Conveniently, the complication coordinates a display of two preselected time zones allowing the wearer to switch from one to the other at the touch of a button. This shift applies simultaneously to the date and the day/
night time indication. To perfect this technical feat, the watchmakers drew their inspiration from the design of the chronograph by conceiving the reset function as a memory because, "unlike a traditional GMT function, it is only necessary to set the first time zone. The second time zone automatically sets as soon as the second city is programmed."
After a variation embellished with expert guillochage in the purest Breguet style in 2016, the design undergoes a radical change this year by integrating the Marine collection under reference 5557. "We required a few adaptations to the movement to make it
"complicaTEd To manufacTurE, complEx To assEmblE, yET pHEnomEnally simplE
To usE !"
resistanttoa‘sportier’use.Weaddedthe notion of modifying the dial by playing with the depth of a two-dimensional world map on three plates, one of which is a blue guilloche 'wave' base in gold. The choice was then made to go with a sapphire plate on which the underside was metallised with the continents to take advantage of the transparency. The upper side was also plated with longitudes and latitudes, together with the outline of the continents for a different visual effect, plus the 24 small holes for placing the markers. In fact, they appear to be flying. The ensemble is put together with a top piece that interlocks the assembly", explains Lionel a Marca. The resulting composition is stunning without losing an ounce of clarity. The time data remains clearly legible, thanks to the luminescent hands and markers. The date appears at 12 o'clock, while the city selection sits at 6
o'clock. All the information is controlled by the automatic calibre 77F1 with a 55hour power reserve.
Its 43.9x13.8mm case, waterproof to a depth of 100m, is available in white or pink gold. "After numerous tests to finalise the timepiece, we managed to achieve an extremely realistic result with a true aesthetic depth, a sense of the sea... You can examine the Hora Mundi from all angles, and each time you do, you discover something new", remarks Lionel a Marca. The most important part of the journey is the discovery.
Nowadays, jumping onto a plane is just as easy as hopping onto a bus, when the pandemic’s not around of course. With a snap of your fingers or almost, from the comfort of your own home, you just need to log on to the right platform and book a flight in just one click to head off the next day, in a fortnight or three months’ time. Flexibility that changes the world that was once so vast into a weekend getaway, unforgettable holidays and even a can’t-miss job interview. Once onboard, belt attached and luggage soundly stowed away in the hold, you can drift off and imagine your arrival as you glance at the clouds floating by.
A century ago, no-one could ever have foreseen the tremendous, fast progress that civil aviation would make or just how popular long-haul journeys would become. Yet, the gateway to
Rolex watches on their wrists or in their flying machine cockpits, objects that were unwavering companions for these exploration trailblazers. The Genevabased firm’s Air-King model, created in 1958, celebrates the courage of those who, one day, chose to fly off and observe the world from up high, and its Oyster was key to ensuring they reached their destination.
a new world was thrown open by foolhardy pilots, who beat records and occasionally lost their lives during their sky-high peregrinations. Some boasted
Although this timepiece has changed over its various versions yet has kept the three Arabic numerals on its dial conjuring up its visual identity, it took on its classical-sporty look, which we all recognize it by, in 2016: dusky face
THE nEw OYsTER PERPETUaL aiR-king UnVEiLs an assERTiVE PERsOnaLiTY anD REVamPED siLHOUETTE.
THE LOgO THaT was cREaTED FOR THE FiRsT aiR-king, OVER 60 YEaRs agO, REigns aT THE bOTTOm OF THE DiaL.
to create a contrast with the large hour markers and white minute tracker emphasized to read navigation time. However, the 2022 model showcased during Watches and Wonders unveils a slightly different, rather more assertive personality as well as a revamped silhouette. This time round, the 40 mmdiameter Oystersteel case features two armatures to protect the Twinlock screwed crown and, along with the hermetic caseback, helps ensure waterproofness to depths of 100 metres. The case middle’s profile is now more apparent, as such boosting this new AirKing’s sporty identity, and the ensemble merges perfectly with the Oystersteel bracelet attached by a folding buckle with an Oysterlock clasp and an Easylink extension system.
When it comes to time data, the displays on the black-lacquered dial are all in
Chromalight optimized with a highlyeffective blue-glowing luminescent material that adorns the white gold of the famous oversized 3-6-9 numerals, the triangular marker at 12 o’clock, the central hour and minute hands and the dot that sets off the Rolex greenvarnished direct-drive. Other novelty, a 0 sits alongside the 5 at 1 o’clock on the white tampography minute tracker. All the features including the stop-second are driven by the recent automatic 3230 calibre that delivers a considerable power reserve of 70 hours. Ready for take-off!
One is round, the other square. Despite their distinctly different geometry, both were born in the 1960s and both promise an immersion in the world of timekeeping that TAG Heuer holds dear. A bit like in the opening credits of the famous series The Persuaders, each evolves according to subsequent events. Each version or new interpretation constantly fuels their complicity. Consequently, certain references of this pairing that appear in the pantheon of watchmaking icons even share an identical motorisation: the Heuer 02 calibre. This selfwinding movement is made up of 169 components, including a column wheel
and a vertical gearing, providing highlevel performance with, in particular, a power reserve of 80 hours. It also enjoys Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) certified chronometric
precision. This year, this supremely efficient mechanism integrates two models unveiled during Watches and Wonders Geneva: the Carrera x Porsche
Edition Limited and the Monaco Gulf Edition Spéciale. This time-measuring duo declares their sporty credentials by means of an emblematic design. One round, the other square.
TAG Heuer and the German carmaker scored a number of achievements in Formula 1 in the 1980s. In February 2021, the Swiss watchmaker and the Stuttgart-based manufacturer began a fruitful collaboration. A year later, a second opus wrote a new page in this shared history. Tricompax counters, monochrome atmosphere heightened with a colour, oscillating weight with three arms... The Carrera x Porsche
Edition Limited, of which only 1,500 pieces will be produced, retains the aesthetic codes of the model unveiled last year, save for a few details. Its 44mm diameter diamond light coating (DLC) black steel case, water-resistant down to a depth of 100 metres, incorporates a new, slightly glittery dial. The two chronograph counters, at 3 and 9 o'clock, stand out thanks to their granular coating suggestive of asphalt. As for the small second hand at 6 o'clock, it bears a flat black colour. For this series, yellow, instead of red, is used to enhance the setting and create a dynamic visual contrast.
Colour also plays a key role in the Monaco Gulf Special Edition. Here, the colour defines its personality. Its blue dial with a brushed sunray finish reflects the illustrious shades of the oil company omnipresent in motor racing. Turquoise
and orange adorn the two off-centre vertical stripes and the stylised minute counter at 3 o'clock. The Gulf logo appears above the date at 6 o'clock. The small seconds-hand balances the arrangement. This harmonious assembly is housed in the characteristic 39mm square steel case. This edition is also notable for its openworked rotor.
Steve McQueen, a Porsche 917 in Gulf colours, a Heuer logo on his suit. For more than 50 years, the rule of three of a founding myth has provided the compass for TAG Heuer timepieces imbued with the spirit of motor racing. The Carrera x Porsche Limited Edition and the Monaco Gulf Special Edition continue the legacy of this passion for speed.
Blue or pink? To cut loose from the idea of making a choice (and from gendered education), nothing could be better than watchmaking. Some brands like Vacheron Constantin now propose women’s lines in two colours like the new Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. Oh what an incredibly brilliant idea to propose non-binary references. For two reasons, basically. First, the concept is highly-inclusive. Secondly, this time round, it’s accompanied by a high-profile calibre and addresses feminine customers’ desire for complications. Well, it makes you want to wrap this little gem around your wrist immediately, because when so much
care has been put into details, reading time becomes child’s play. Thanks to the large dial opening, calendar displays are clear: weekday, date, month, leap years (and doesn’t require adjustment
before 2100). Impossible to be “Lost in Translation” when you wear it. On the case side, we discover the characteristic simplicity of the collection enhanced
with a few particularities like the lugs and the layered architecture, the fluted caseback, the Dauphine-shaped hands hovering over a railway-style minute tracker interspersed with baton indexes. Everything mentioned above is shared by both pieces. When you play ‘Find the Differences’, you notice a 5N 18K gold case, one white, the other pink. The mother-of-pearl dial veers towards grey-blue hues, or goes for immaculate white, whilst the Moon and the stars are portrayed with the same tone of gold as the case and boast an opaline finish. For a dash of glamour, the bezel and the top of the lugs are set with 76 round-cut diamonds.
wHiTE gold or pink gold? THE HardEsT THing will bE cHoosing bETwEEn THE Two 36.5 mm sTonE-sET vErsions.
Mixing carats and a mechanical movement is a bit like when you collaborate, you’ve got to find the right partner. To breathe life into the watch’s heart, Vacheron Constantin opted for the manufacture 1120 QP calibre. Perfect choice! It infuses an elegant slant into the particularities of the Gregorian calendar by adding the Moon phase display at 6 o’clock. Another distinction: its slimness. It stands just 4.05 mm thick and nestles in an 8.43 mm-high, 36.5 mm-diameter case. It goes without saying that you can just sense Vacheron Constantin’s legitimacy beneath the previous statement as the brand has been an expert in ultra-slim movements since the 1950s via a host of records. But, there’s more to come. When you turn the piece over, the feast-forthe-eyes makes you go “Wowwww!”. The 276 components visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback epitomize
the amount of work involved in such a masterpiece: the baseplate is circulargrained dial-side, chamfering is done by hand, drilling is circular satin-brushed, the gear train features polished teeth, the oscillating weight is decorated with Côtes de Genève then openworked in the shape of a Maltese Cross (the brand’s emblem), amongst other things. Ah, one last thing, the strap of this PC is interchangeable in one click for the first time ever. No doubt about it, it illustrates the brand’s 2022 theme entitled “The Anatomy of Beauty®” marvellously well.
CHRONOMASTER Sport steel and rose gold Ref 51.3100.3600/69.M3100
CHRONOMASTER Sport in rose gold black dial Ref 18.3101.3600/21.M3100
CHRONOMASTER Sport Boutique Edition Ref 03.3103.3600/69.M3100
CHRONOMASTER Open rose gold white dial Ref 18.3300.3604/69.C922
“Be bold, be bold, and everywhere be bold”. Right from the outset, Rebellion has been meticulously following the order given by English poet Edmund Spenser (1552-1599). For its first on-site participation in the Geneva Watches and Wonders show, the brand unveiled timepieces that breathe life into this mindset, forever pursuing difference. Among them, three variations go beyond conventions thanks to unprecedented material. These pieces, created based on the RE-Volt model, adorn a sculptural silhouette. And, their design takes advantage of stylistics obtained thanks to the use of state-of-the-art technology:
coloured carbon. And, the result? Their light, sturdy case (38.5 x 40.35 x 13.5 mm) takes on a highly-original camouflage pattern that enhances the grey tones of the composite. The RE-Volt
On a HigHLY-ORiginaL camOUFLagE PaTTERn THaT EnHancEs THE gREY TOnEs OF THE cOmPOsiTE.
3 Hands Carbon Colored diffuse their offbeat sporty personality.
To finalize this visually-striking scenography, Rebellion used an avant-
garde technique. In a nutshell, a carbon fibre or powder base was mixed with an epoxy-type resin. Then coloured pigments were added. However, the more there are of these, the more fragile the material. So, to counter this risk, technical carbon, in the form of roving, a reel of carbon fibre thread, offering greater hardness, was used to help produce this vibrantly-coloured camo pattern. As such, the RE-Volt Chrono Carbon Colored Arctic Storm boasts blued hues conjuring up ice and ice floes. The Mars Valley variation invites on a journey across the rocks of our solar system’s red planet. As for the Toxic Storm model, it combines three tones
inspired by the aurora borealis that gift it with an incredible visual composition. More than ever before, if you wish to stand out from the crowd, you have to be camouflaged!
Just like all the brand’s watches, design is always dedicated to performance. The skeletonized calibre, created in-house and assembled using 165 components, is centre staged here through openworked, layered scenography. This hand-wound movement beats at 28,800 vibrations an hour and delivers a power reserve of two days. The sapphire-crystal caseback invites to discover its architecture, its bespoke barrel, its bridges and its workings. The mechanism accurately powers the hour and minute hand duo, topped with white luminescent coating, as well as a small seconds offset at 7 o’clock.
And, to boost its mood and accentuate its look even more with these energizing colours, the RE-Volt 3 Hands Carbon Colored is accompanied by a vulcanized rubber strap attached by a folding clasp for comfortable wear. Each variation can also be combined with a black textile strap clasped by a Velcro® fastener with a titanium hook. Like all Rebellion’s creations, exclusivity rhymes with rareness. Each version is produced as a limited edition of just 50 pieces.
There are certain encounters that can turn your life upside down because they trigger a whirlwind of emotions in you. You thought you'd seen it all, known it all, and experienced it all, then suddenly something appears to disrupt your daily life. That little grain of sand in the well-oiled machinery of your life causes the person you were yesterday to no longer be the person you are today. Nothing will ever be the same. Never. This is exactly the same magic that the Octo Finissimo watch effects upon you when you discover it. You take it in your hands; you feel its weight, no doubt raising an eyebrow; you look at it first
from the front, then from the side, then from the back; you clasp it to your wrist, and then, at that very moment, you know I am right. Nothing will ever be the same. Never.
THE man is THE imagE OF THE waTcH anD THE waTcH is THE imagE OF THE man: a FORmiDabLE ELEgancE.
Restrained exaltation, bated breath. Whatever. Your sparkling eyes betray you. Like a work of art you can't take your eyes off; a thunderbolt that thrills every
part of your body; a moment of rare intensity to be carefully stored away in the treasure chest of memories. What one feels when wearing a Bvlgari creation cannot be explained in words. It's something you have to experience. As ambassador of a modern, minimalist style, its slender silhouette dressed in a monochrome garb translates the strength of a frank, powerful, and intense pencil stroke: that of Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Product Creation Executive Director. The man is the image of the watch, just as the watch is the image of the man, with a formidable elegance. This collection, created ten years ago,
is celebrating the event by adapting Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani's original sketches to embellish the dials of two limited editions of 200 watches each, the Octo Finissimo Automatique. This model was first presented in 2017 and the Octo Finissimo Chronographe GMT Automatique was introduced in 2019.
The first is equipped with the BVL 138 calibre, a 2.23 mm extra-thin movement equipped with a platinum micro-rotor beating at a frequency of 3hz, delivering an energy reserve of 65 hours when fully wound. The second is powered by the BVL 318 calibre, 3.30 mm thick, fitted with a peripheral oscillating weight, providing a 55-hour power reserve.
While the sanded titanium cases, the crown of which is topped with a black ceramic cabochon, both measure 40 mm in diameter, the chronograph case accommodates two push-buttons that blend harmoniously into the body itself.
The dial is also made of sanded titanium, with the aim of blending the ensemble, including the wristband, into a single hue. To ensure the time indications are legible while maintaining a refined appearance, the various hands in the centre and in the counters are covered with physical vapor deposition (PVD) black. The same colour is used to reproduce Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani's drawings by engraving: baton hour-markers, Arabic numerals, counters, logo, and the words "Swiss made" all appear to have been scribbled directly on the faces of the watches.
Quite simply spectacular!
In 2022, Lorige is stepping up its production. After the BL-Endurance Gris Circuit and the Bleu 24H, the young French brand is going for something new this year in the form of a stunning watch: the BL-Endurance Hyperblack. As the name implies, the omnipresent black colour permeates the mysterious and prestigious persona of this timepiece. As with the two previous models in the collection, its case is machined using brake pads from the world of motor racing. We're not talking just any brake pads! For this timepiece, the material used is the same as that of the awesome Peugeot 9x8. This prototype, powered by a hybrid
engine, is destined to make its mark on the circuits of major endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans starting this summer. Its chiselled, sleek, elegant
design is accentuated by a monochrome layout. This aesthetic option also heightens the perspective of the BLEndurance Hyperblack. Hence, its 51.6x43.6x10.5mm barrel-shaped case
and dial, both machined in carbon/ carbon, are a single component. The striated pattern inherently found in the high-tech composite contributes to this distinctive architecture. Combined with a grade 5 titanium bezel with diamond light coating (DLC) treatment, the combination shelters a pair of stylized hands pointing to an hour circle of black physical vapor deposition (PVD) coated numerals. The energy display with a greenyellow touch along with the white luminescent hands and markers add to the contemporary look of this series. All time information is powered by the selfwinding LOR-PR01 calibre. Assembled
iTs cHisEllEd, slEEk, ElEganT dEsign is accEnTuaTEd by a monocHromE layouT.
with 294 components, it delivers a minimum of 45 hours of power reserve. The rarity of the available brakes means that only a limited edition can be produced. Only 24 pieces will emerge from the workshops.
With the introduction of this timepiece, Lorige is also pleased to present its new ambassador, Paul di Resta. Building on his experience at Le Mans, the Scotsman was appointed last year as the official Peugeot driver for the Hypercar program. The champion will be wearing the BL-Endurance Hyperblack on his wrist during his many appearances on the Sky Sports channel and during the events of the Sochalian brand.
Lorige's pursuit of sporty elegance also extends to a limited eight piece high-end timepiece combining an exceptional calibre with a new carbon case shape. "This will be a central tourbillon, developed by Pierre Favre and Dominique Renaud. The concept remains the same with Formula 1 brakes
this time and with an historical driver. The series will be extremely limited due to the small quantity of brakes we have in our possession. Only two watches will be produced this year and the other timepieceswillbereleasedprogressively over the following years", explains Emeric Paraud, co-founder of the company. To discover it, as for the 9x8, a certain amount of patience is required. The second half of 2022 promises to be quite exciting.
“The Submersible collection was created three years ago. Between its two pillars, 47 mm and 42 mm, and given its great success, a third was a must: 44 mm. This becomes reality this year with the new Submersible QuarantaQuattro versions. The models are proposed in several variations: Luna Rossa, eSteelTM, CarbotechTM, a more cutting-edge product that’s really lightweight for a rather sizeable watch” states Jean-Marc Pontroué, Panerai CEO, during an exclusive interview for Watches and Wonders. The choice of this diameter is not without significance however. The first-ever piece the manufacture commercialized
to the general public in 1993, the 5218201A, boasts this size. And, although the marine DNA remains, the new references enjoy highly up-to-the-minute features.
panErai ExplorEs oTHEr sTylisTic Horizons wiTH iTs submErsiblE QuaranTaQuaTTro modEls.
All professional divers meet 6425 standard criteria. As such, they’re all waterproof to depths of 300 m and equipped with a unidirectional counter-
clockwise-rotating bezel, optimallyreadable under any conditions of light, are equipped with an indicator showing that the calibre is working correctly, a small-seconds at 9 o’clock and are resistant to magnetic fields. Moreover, the watches are driven by the P.900 self-winding movement, which delivers a power reserve of three days. With its 4.2 mm slimness, it inspires to imagine a case that is just as slender. What’s more, Panerai explores other stylistic horizons with its Submersible QuarantaQuattro models. “We’re going for colour. Panerai was a really ‘black-on-black’ brand. These pieces stand out with their grey,
blue, green and even white dials as well as their coloured rubber crowns”.
A duo of highly-functional, optimallyreadable timepieces combines a satinbrushed steel case and bezel with a black or white dial. As for the Blu Abisso, it blends a CarbotechTM case with a dark azure blue scenescape. The 1,500-piece QuarantaQuattro Luna Rossa limited edition evokes Panerai’s attachment to the America’s Cup. Its dial adorns aquatic tones set off with a sunburst finish. This reference is worn on a twomaterial strap made from fabric and recycled rubber.
Pride of place in the 2022 vintage goes to the Blu Profondo, Grigio Roccia and Verde Smeraldo QuarantaQuattro eSteelTM that stun with their polished ceramic bezels matching the deep, gradient-toned hues of their dials.
All are based around a case sculpted in eSteelTM, a metal made of 100% recycled steel scraps recovered from various industries. Its use ensures that Co2 emissions are considerably reduced in the manufacture. And, this choice is an appropriate one given the great demand. “Thirty new stores are opening thisyear” enthuses Jean-Marc Pontroué. Creating with this alternative material can help Panerai reach its eco-friendly target. By 2025, the range must be made with at least 30% of the models designed boasting sustainable components.
Realised with SPARFELL Aviation Terminal C3 - 18 chemin des Papillons 1215 Geneva Airport Switzerland www.sparfell.aero
“A watch isn’t a useful object, it’s a love story,adream,asymbol”. Blaise Giuliani, the creator of Bohen, is an industrial designer. At the outset, he was a specialist in haute couture accessories and entered the watchmaking world via Yema in 1993. The first sketches of the Bohen watch date back to 2019 (yet the reason behind the name Bohen remains mysterious). It was imagined by an “old-school” designer, and no concessions on engineering were made.
Given this watch’s resistance to hydraulic pressure of 100 bars (1,000 metres), its size plays a key role. It’s big, boasts a
43 mm diameter, 50 mm length, 17.5 mm thickness and weighs some 195 g (bracelet included). Yet, the size of Blaise Giuliani’s wrist is exactly the same
the watch would be set. This, actually, means that there’s no gap between the bottom of the lug and the wrist. The watch’s weight and that of the ratchet buckle have been calculated to ensure perfect wearing balance. Our minds conjure up an anvil when we read the dimensions, but actually... nothing could be further from the truth!
as mine, i.e. about 17 cm. The watch features a special “something” though. The bracelet clasp is low: just 4.5 mm high in relation to the position where
The case, crafted in 316L steel, featuring deep-brushed and mirrorpolished finishes, is equipped with a helium escape valve and a 3.8 mmthick grade 5 titanium back, topped by a 60-notch unidirectional bezel with
THis wEaRER-fRiEndlinEss mEans THE waTcH suRpRisEs wHEn TRiEd on. ouR minds conjuRE up an anvil, buT acTually... noTHing could bE fuRTHER fRom THE TRuTH!
ceramic insert. It hosts the Soprod M100 automatic calibre (4 Hz, power reserve of 42 hours), configured for Bohen with +/- 4 seconds accuracy per day over five positions, Chronofiable® A8-certified by the Laboratoire Dubois and embraces an anti-magnetic cage.
The black dial, one of the most deeply recessed on the market, stages L-shaped indexes, leaning on the flange and coated with Super-LumiNova® X1 specifically made in a gel form for Bohen. It showcases a three-hand-date display and is protected by a dome fashioned with the sapphire crystal that’s used in the aerospace industry where no impurity or micro-bubble of air is tolerated. This dome, which flaunts thickness from 3.8 mm to 4.5 mm, stands out with its dual-layer anti-reflective glass inside, coloured in an ever-so intense blue. A magnifier, set apart from the domed crystal for machining reasons, crowns the date at 3 o’clock.
Olivier Mory, watchmaker-designer for
OM Mechanics in La Chaux-de-Fonds, examined this watch. He put it through a real product qualification cycle. As well as the chronometry and waterproofness basics, he dropped it from a height of one metre onto a hard surface (NIHS 91-10 standard test). Then he placed the bezel on a lathe. Normally, a motor is used for a rotation of 100 turns a minute over 5,000 turns. Olivier Mory increased to 360 turns a minute, 360 clicks a second. The watch passed the tests with flying colours.
2,424 euros is a reasonable price for this 500-piece limited edition watch featuring incomparable specifications. In any case, I foresee a logical increase though in the future. Top-of-the-class in this segment is primarily held by Rolex Deepsea, but I must confess, quite frankly, the Bohen has no reason to shy away when placed alongside it.
The Anglicism "teaser" is a common noun that entered the French language several decades ago. According to the definition in the Robert dictionary, it is an "advertisement with a more or less enigmatic message, the meaning of which will be revealed at a later stage". Teaser has become increasingly popular with digital marketers, especially since the advent of social networks. Indeed, it is often easier and less expensive to tickle the curiosity of an audience, a community, or even to arouse a desire, by publishing photos or videos, using a mysterious tone on Instagram, Tik Tok, or even LinkedIn, to announce an upcoming product than
via traditional channels. Certain watch companies have been using it for some years now, with varying degrees of success. However, admittedly, only one
brand, or rather two in this case, have pulled off a remarkable feat in terms of communication: Swatch and Omega. The two entities belonging to the same Biel-based group created a buzz in
March, after skilfully teasing their way through various media. Who could have imagined such a collaboration? Nobody. This was despite postings on social networks highlighting the possibility of a collaborative effort between the two heavyweights of the industry in general and the Swatch Group in particular, each occupying a different segment and manufacturing diametrically opposed products. To discover the offspring of this relationship, one had to go to a select number of points of sale in the worldwide network of Swatch boutiques on D-Day, the 26th of March. To be the first, you needed a
great deal of patience and, if you were brave, a sleeping bag. As early as 4 in the morning, there were people camped in front of the unlit shop windows. An hour before the official opening of the shops, the line of clients was several hundred metres long, spreading out sometimes into a compact crowd. Stocks were quickly sold out in less than two hours for Geneva, despite Swatch's declarations over the non-limitation of watches, the restriction of buying one product per person, and the upcoming sale on its e-shop to avoid any uproar. Alas, it was a waste of time: people, regular clients, watch lovers, and newcomers to the world of watches, both young and old, nevertheless rushed to the shops. They were confronted with an overwhelmed staff and passers-by dumbfounded by this frenzied crowd,
especially after two years of pandemic and repeated lockdowns, and at the same time feeding the speculation market as the resale prices climbed at an insane speed, from CHF 250 to... the sky is the limit, as they say in English.
An idiomatic expression coming at just the right time since, first and foremost, the expression of all this enthusiasm is based on the unique design of a watchmaking icon, the recognisable silhouette of the first timepiece to accompany man to the moon as he walked on its ashen grey surface: the Speedmaster from Omega, born in 1957 and made legendary in 1969 by the Apollo 11 astronauts, Commander Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) and pilots Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (1930), and Michael Collins (1930-2021). A chronograph dubbed
the Moonwatch, the cornerstone of the Speedmaster family bringing together a large number of admirers and collectors, a success story told in several published accounts.
Secondly, the collaboration between Swatch and Omega enabled people to reach for infinity and beyond without having to break the bank, living with their heads in the stars while keeping their feet on the ground, since it consisted of a series of eleven interplanetary and interstellar missions epitomised by eleven coloured watches.
Named MoonSwatch, this daring quartz gambit has all the trappings of an original mechanical Moonwatch. Yet, the sensation is different once comfortably fastened to the wrist thanks to the Velcro® wristband, similar to the one the astronauts strap around their wrist camouflaged under a thick
space suit. Indeed, the lightness of its 42mm-diameter case designed in bioceramic - a material composed of technical ceramics and castor oil extract perfected by Swatch - is very pleasant against the skin. The pushbuttons that control the chronograph as well as the crown are also made of this composite material. The advantage of this material is that it can be offered in new colours in perfect harmony with the playful spirit of Swatch. In the palette of available colours, one can choose between the intense yellow of the Mission to the Sun, the mint green of the Mission on Earth, the candy pink of the Mission to Venus, and the bright red of the Mission to Mars. This is a very successful interpretation of Omega's superb Alaska Project watch, by the way. There is also the pinkish beige of the Mission to Jupiter, the sand colour of the Mission to Saturn, the
soft turquoise of the Mission to Uranus, and the lavender blue of the Mission to Neptune, for the more "funky" types, or the light grey of the Mission to Pluto, the medium grey of the Mission to the Moon - the version that comes closest to a traditional Speedmaster, and the dark grey of the Mission to Mercury, for the more "classic" minded (an adjective that is hardly appropriate for Swatch). In order to emphasise the contrasts, the bezels, complemented by a few touches on the dial, are also finished in colour. The case back bears a very positive message: "Dream big. Explore the universe. Reach for the planets. Enjoy the mission".
The MoonSwatch collection, an object of desire born of a remarkable stroke of genius, both in terms of communication and product design, and of a surprising collaboration, continues to spark envy even after more than two months since its launch. This also proves that two very different brands can meet on fertile creative ground and spawn a masterpiece. There is no such thing as the sky is the limit when it comes to imagination!
THE sERiEs is maDE UP OF ELEVEn DiFFEREnT mODELs, aLL LinkED TO THE cOnqUEsT OF a PaRTicULaR PLanET OR sTaR.
Nature does things well. It doesn’t squander anything, doesn’t produce waste, doesn’t pollute. Everything is born, lives, develops and dies in a cycle that doesn’t impact the overall balance. The business world, on the other hand, isn’t imagined in a cyclic fashion but in a linear one: we produce by consuming natural resources, we use, we throw away and we begin all over again. This has to change as the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has been pointing out for almost thirty years. In actual fact, the mantra of any firm, given the urgency of environmental and social issues, should
be: tomorrow’s business will be circular or it won’t survive. Watchmaking is late when compared to other sectors, but awareness is on the rise. Can
we actually develop real circular watchmaking? Food for thought.
The importance of recycling This is the first step towards circularity.
It can be applied to many aspects of the watchmaking business. For gold production, for example, recycling already stands at 25 to 30% of annual demand (WWF 2021 figures) and should increase. For steel, an avid raw material consumer and emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG), novel recycling methods are coming to the fore. As such, Swiss firm Panatere S.A. collects shavings of this ferrous metal alloy from watchmaking in the Jura Arc and produces a 100% recycled alternative via a short supply chain –virtuous factor of circularity. Last year, Panerai unveiled its first-ever watch in recycled steel, the Luminor Marina eSteel,
iT’s pErfEcTly possiblE To cEnTrE sTagE and sEll luxury waTcHEs madE from rEcyclEd maTErials.
and is committed to using only this type of steel for its production by 2025.
Our watch straps and bracelets may also be recycled, like Ulysse Nardin’s R-Strap in 2020, which used materials from fishing nets retrieved from the oceans. The firm goes further still this year with its Diver Net concept watch that uses this material for all its entire case. The ocean plastic “deposit” is so enormous that it could reduce the production of new plastic, a planetary scourge, considerably.
Last but not least, recycling must become the standard for packaging, merchandising and events. An increasing number of brands are taking on this approach and show that it’s perfectly possible to centre stage and sell luxury watches made from recycled materials. Most of the stands at Watches
and Wonders 2022 were built in recycled materials, proof that awareness is gaining ground. Even independent brands like Ressence propose recycled PET or cardboard packaging.
Innovation to the rescue Innovation goes hand-in-hand with watchmaking. It is now dedicated to sustainability and to the circular economy. Finding new materials that respect the environment and that are intended to be totally recycled is an avenue currently being explored. ID Genève, for example, a young brand created through a crowdfunding campaign in 2020, has just imagined a “Treekind” strap completely fashioned from green waste and totally compostable at the end of its lifecycle. Recycled cardboard and mycelium
packaging is making inroads and should become the norm to reduce the use of exotic wood and plastic. Likewise, new production methods are emerging on the scene. Like the Panatere-invented solar furnace that reduces steel production-related Co2 emissions 165-fold. A furnace that only uses renewable energy and locallyrecovered recycled steel: the circular economy is beginning to make its mark!
ID Genève’s Circular S is the first example of this. Without a doubt, others should follow suit.
For this urgently-needed change to be successful, we have to work together. Collaborate, openly, transparently… words rarely used in a watchmaking world shrouded with mystery, eager to keep its know-how secret. But, times are changing. In 2021, Panerai launched
its open-source eLAB-ID platform. And went on to reveal the full list of its suppliers who helped it accomplish the project. A revolution to share best practices.
At the same time, LVMH showed that collaboration can come from other industries. Its 2021-initiated Nona Source programme resells materials from its fashion and leather goods brands. Zenith, one of the Group’s firms, in turn uses textile scraps from this source to create new totally-upcycled straps for its Defy Midnight watch.
Watches aren’t throw-aways, that’s one of their main advantages. Giving timepieces that have been stored away a new lease of life extends their lifespan even more. The second-hand market boom invites enthusiasts to benefit from the double opportunity of purchasing
models at an affordable price – apart from speculative frenzies – and increase interest for watchmaking in general. And, once again, short supply chains will reduce the industry’s impact.
The key: governance Results can only be achieved with clear vision and great determination… which must come from the highest levels of brand management. A few brands have understood this perfectly and have rolled out tangible targets and tools to accomplish it. Cartier, Chopard, Breitling, IWC, Panerai and Bvlgari set the example. But the silence of some other leading firms is starting to become deafening! As Jean-Marc Pontroué,
Panerai CEO, stated during a panel on the circular economy at the Watches and Wonders 2022 show: “There’s a notion of urgency. We need to rethink our whole business model”.
The circular economy is the model to bring on-board if we wish to ensure future generations a living and liveable world. It is totally opposed to our unlimited linear growth model. Yet, awareness is being enkindled, solutions are starting to bloom, desires and determination are being asserted by firms and by end consumers. Watchmaking has the means to become an example. The time is ripe, not for beating about the bush, but for taking action. The time is now!
Totally by chance, three years ago, I fell head-over-heels in love with a watch I’d spotted on someone’s wrist; I borrowed it and headed off on holiday with it the next day. And, to cut a long story short, that’s exactly how this column came into being; a column where I can express myself freely, with my own “voice”, to describe just how deeply I’m attached to a brand, a model, no matter if it’s new or was rolled out a few years back and, without ever having to go into technical details. In a nutshell, pure emotion.
The watches we wear are like windows
we open onto moments of our life, little pebbles strewn along the path of our existence, which we love coming fondly back to so we can slip them into our pocket. We personify them, we identify with them: there’s incredible alchemy between us. And, as you’re all aware, I adore conjuring up memories from childhood, teenage years and womanhood, to explain my relationship with a piece. Why does it delight me, when did I acquire it, what does it
evoke for me, what sort of mood was I in when I fell for it, how many weeks or months or even years did I have to wait before I got my hands on it.
By glancing back through the rearview mirror, I realize that I’m the watchmaker of my time, creator of my own desires. I always have been, however, even before I joined this great family, our industry. As a teenager, I heard my father, my teachers, my schoolmates whinge about me because I always did as I pleased, then later on my workmates would do likewise. I didn’t comply with rules if they didn’t suit me or went
THE waTcHEs wE wEar arE likE windows wE opEn onTo momEnTs of our lifE.
against my convictions, I didn’t follow the path that people wanted to lay out for me. And, it still holds true today. As I’m writing this prose, a little predicament comes to mind that occurred when I was working as market manager for a watch-jewellery brand whose plans were (far) too ambitious for the means it had at its disposal and, which, of course, disappeared off the scene two years ago. I’d been made to wear a little diamond-set, square-shaped quartz watch, basically everything that’s the exact opposite of my personality, me who loves large-sized mechanical models free from any type of fancy frills. I did my utmost to negotiate, come up with excuses, get angry: the person in question actually forced this horror onto my wrist, pinching my skin
with the clasp as they did so. From that moment on, I swore to myself I would never ever wear anything I didn’t like. “I do whatever I want” my daughter would say when she was small; an expression my son would also use a few years later on. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, apparently.
In the treasure chest of my memories, there’s Baselworld, the can’t-miss show that no longer exists. When I was still an industry employee, I really enjoyed spending my lunch break, even though it was short, eyeing up all our rivals’ display cases that were centre staged next to the stand I was working on. Later, when I became a member of the specialized press, I at long last had the right to exchange with these brands and even benefit
from exclusive product presentations.
Every year, one of my favourite appointments was never jotted down on the professional schedule I passed on to my associates because I always went sort of as a journalist but mainly as a customer: Oris. And, every year, it was a great pleasure for me to be face-to-face with the same man who co-runs the firm today. I loved the passion that unfolded when he talked to me about “his” watches and I systematically found at least two models on his presentation trays to add to my wishlist. I loved the style of these objects, their creation, the tales they told as well as the brand’s discreet yet independent profile. And, as a true nature-lover, I adored the fact that it had chosen a name inspired by a river.
It’s so romantic to be named after a watercourse. I felt that we shared the same free spirit, that we had everything it took to get on well together. I laugh silently because I find it really funny that I could feel so much in tune with a firm’s philosophy. A bit like non-identical twins. I’ve seen the efforts that Oris has been making to protect the fauna and flora by being as eco-friendly as possible, on a par with me bringing up my children to respect the Earth and keeping a watchful eye on what our family consumes, sorting waste, recycling, upcycling.
One day, I think it was in 2014, I fell madly in love with a dive watch and its irresistible vintage look. I decided to take the plunge and to offer it to my husband for his birthday. Then I
treated myself to the reissue of a pilot watch, which was originally made in 1917 if I’m not mistaken. It was a limited edition and the very thought of not getting my hands on one of the pieces made me panic. It’s a watch I wear very often.
Time goes by, loyalty remains and feelings are asserted. Shamelessly.
I met up with Oris at Watches and Wonders this year and, even before my appointment on the stand, imagined as a place for exchanging, open and welcoming, still scheduled with the same man I’ve been seeing for over a
decade, I already knew which model I wanted to see, touch and, above all, buy: the ProPilot X. Because I’d already spotted this apricot-hued, pink face, as powerful as a multivitamin cocktail that infuses my wrist and my eyes with delight, and its light, wearerfriendly grey titanium body. I’m captivated by all the contrasts and paradoxes that exude from this mechanical watch, its gentle strength, its undeniable presence, its sparkling, unrestrained identity and its feel-good expression. Right here, right now, as it accompanies all the movements of my left arm, I can’t help but look at it and smile. Go your own way, as they say in Oris. Indeed. Forever and always.
oris and i sHarE THE samE frEE spiriT, THE samE pHilosopHy and THE samE bEnEvolEncE.
She appears on the screen, an azure bandana wrapped around her wide brown fringes and a smile as bright as a summer day. In this day and age, between busy schedules and the comfort of telecommuting, our interview takes place "virtually". I have been following Estelle Lagarde's work for some time now and her art always leave me speechless. Works of art, of course, because what this gouache artist does with her hands cannot be described otherwise. Her paintings deserve to be framed and exhibited in a major Parisian gallery. Paris was indeed the professional starting point for the young woman after
her studies in the jewellery arts. She settled there to train as a gouache artist for a major name in the Place Vendôme, eventually hiring her. However, her experience was not as fulfilling as she
would have liked. "I worked on serial pieces", explains Estelle Lagarde, "The same one for four years. I could make it again with my eyes closed. I
became ill at the time, to the point of suffering a major depression and then a burn-out. My body became completely dysfunctional." The suffering turned incandescent, radiating to the point of becoming unbearable. "I was watching myself slowly die and the idea of seeing myself extinguished for ever was causing me great inner pain" she confided to me with restrained humility. Estelle Lagarde's resilience leaves me in awe. "This pain became the conductor of my hands, united in saving my life. Pigments and brushes became my instruments as my earliest creations came to life. I felt myself reviving little by little. A genuine
"i FEEL FORTUnaTE TO FinD insPiRaTiOn in EVERYTHing THaT sURROUnDs mE"
smile appeared on my face once again. I loved feeling it so much! I knew it would not deceive me. I needed to listen to it. It gave me the strength to let go of everything so I could live my life's greatest dream, to become a designer!" she added.
At the end of 2018, Estelle Lagarde established her creative studio putting her talent as a gouache artist and designer at the service of major jewellery and watchmaking companies. With the tip of her brush, she brings to life drawings of meticulous precision and breathtaking realism, enabling the viewer to imagine what the finished product will look like. One almost feels like caressing the precious gems and pearls she brushes onto the paper. She created her own brand, Lagarde©, in 2019 - "I had a crazy desire to make my own watches and fine jewellery". Then she created Lagarde Jewelry Drawing
with her brother Thibaud two years ago, a professional training to learn the gouache technique based on her experience.
"I feel fortunate to find inspiration in everything that surrounds me. My driving force is emotion. I like to express my inspirations spontaneously, whenever I feel the urge. This is how I manage to speak so lovingly about my jewellery. I need freedom to let my creativity flow", concludes Estelle Lagarde with her infectious smile.
Balazs Ferenczi
After a 2-year hiatus, watch events were the thing again at the end of March in Geneva. Not only did Watches and Wonders hold their very first physical show, but other events like Time to Watches and Barton 7 also made an appearance in the watch capital of Switzerland. The focus was on the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerieorganized hybrid Watches and Wonders show (formerly SIHH) and, just like last year, the event was fully available digitally. All the same, it didn’t disappoint those who made it to Palexpo, just on the city's outskirts. Aside from the prestigious Richemont Group manufactures like A. Lange
& Söhne, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget and Vacheron Constantin, most of the LVMH brands (TAG Heuer, Zenith, Hublot) exhibited at the show. To the
delight of visitors several other iconic brands made an appearance. The most illustrious amongst them were Rolex and Patek Philippe, presenting their latest
creations here for the first time. The show is just as much about exquisite timepieces as inclusion in the industry. Some of the brightest stars of the independent watch scene were also in attendance. From Ferdinand Berthoud to H. Moser and Cie, Czapek and Laurent Ferrier, to name but a few. Visitors could enjoy the show's comfort surrounded by a host of exhibition spaces. Watches and Wonders is not only a fair to showcase the newest timepieces by some of the most prominent names in the sector. It’s also a place where we celebrate and boost the watch community, the driving force behind this industry.
waTcHEs and wondErs is jusT as mucH abouT ExquisiTE TimEpiEcEs as inclusion in THE indusTry.
Still, the city of Geneva had more to offer. Another event was waiting for us just a few minutes' drive from Palexpo: Time to Watches. Albeit modest in size, this show reminded the visitors of what Baselworld used to be. Smaller stalls represented companies, with an array of welcoming and friendly brand representatives. The exhibitor list featured names from all over Europe. Germany's legendary watch company, Sinn, had one of the larger spaces just opposite Reservoir, a Swiss-made brand with French roots that specialized in retrograde watches. Louis Erard, Corum, and Junghans, among others, were present as well.
Lastly, the smallest gathering in the city was Barton7. This "Swiss independent showroom," as they described themselves, was close to the banks of Lake Geneva. Visitors could chat with brands such as Singer Reimagined, Ikepod or Schwarz Etienne in this casual space while enjoying a drink, even though Barton 7 is not of the same
calibre as Watches and Wonders or Time to Watches. It’s also worth mentioning that brands, like HYT and Doxa, had their own exhibition spaces set up in downtown Geneva and at the Hotel Beau Rivage.
Let’s hope that this will become the norm, and as time goes on, more and more brands will return to physical events. After all, fun digital presentations aside, these shows' first-hand experience is priceless.
The first time was back in the school playground. The most popular guy in the class (bad ass in 2022 speak) was strutting his stuff with his Creeks’ jacket and his Chevignon bag. Trainers on his feet boasting the well-known Nike comma and a three-stripe Adidas cap on his head.
And, that’s probably when my irrepressible desire to wear branded accessories was sparked. There was nothing cooler in the world than displaying the logo of your favourite brand. You felt like you were “it”
In 2022, nothing’s changed. Or rather, something has, six letters that put you in a state of trance: “C.H.A.N.E.L”. By
choosing to play with its name on its J12, Première, Boy.Friend and Code Coco watches, the brand got it spot on. The new Wanted collection is on the wishlist of fashionistas the world over. And, not
just because wearing one illustrates your social status but also and, above all, because of its fantasy touch. Ah, these droplet letters hooked on the Première!
Oh, the white “C.H.A.N.E.L” applique transfer backdrop on the J12’s blacklacquered dial. Whilst the logotype is the focus of the firm’s creative approach and takes possession of each piece incomparably, it’s the spirit of the approach that strikes us. This creative capsule is like the dance between Lady Di and John Travolta at the White House or the final lift in Dirty Dancing between Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, and just conjuring it up puts a blissful smile on your lips and makes you feel fifteen years old in your mind.
Back to adult life with Louis Vuitton which, in a different register, plays with the letters
cHanEl’s playful wanTEd capsulE collEcTion jazzEs up wrisTs wiTH poETry.
of its name on the dial of its new Tambour Spin Time Air Quantum. Instead of hour indexes, cubes pivoting on their own axis create a one-of-a-kind three-dimensional display marking the hours and showcasing the name “LOUIS VUITTON” on the dial. This is all really entertaining and ultratechnical. And, what’s more, they light up on demand. A dozen miniscule lightemitting diodes illuminate the hour display from inside thanks to a system comprising a circular strip of twelve LED – one for each twirling cube –, an integrated circuit and a dual battery for the power, enclosed in an easily-accessible ring. “But the watch is much more than just an extraordinary watchmaking feat. It’s also a hybrid and disruptive complication that combines the best of engineering and electronics dedicated to readability and stylistics” explains Jean Arnault, Director of marketing and Development for Louis Vuitton Watches.
Its luminescence as such sparks desires for neon lights, for technicolor, totally in tune with the times after months of festive interlude. This Saturday Night Fever aspect is like Proust’s Madeleine. If you rummage around enough in your wardrobe, you should find a black swing dress, high-heel laminated boots and a golden skull necklace, symbols of an age that actually keeps going to this day. Hypitude is coming (back).
After reporting on the projects of Péquignet, Humbert-Droz, and Yema to produce a movement in France in our previous edition, we wanted to introduce you to the Aiôn Group, a company with ambitions to become a first-rate watch calibre manufacturer, by interviewing Céline Guth, General Manager in charge of international development.
Before we get into the heart of the matter, could you give us a quick overview of the Aiôn Group?
Aiôn Group SA is a French industrial concern with the objective of perpetuating and developing
watchmaking know-how. Our ambition is to position France as a major watch designer and producer on the international scene.
covering the design and distribution of their timepieces, through our various subsidiaries: watch design office, production of components and movements, decoration, assembly, after-sales service, production and marketing of watches, logistics management, and multi-brand distribution.
Does the Group integrate certain watch brands?
And in more detail, what is your main activity?
The Group launched its activities just a few months ago. We support watch brands from all over the world,
Hegid, the French progressive watch brand, recently joined our Group. It is the prime showcase of Aiôn's manufacturing know-how. The development prospects anticipate integrating other companies
HEgiD REcEnTLY jOinED THE gROUP. iT is THE FiRsT sHOwcasE bRanD OF THE aiôn FacTORY.
FOR DEcaDEs nOw, THE inDUsTRiaL FaciLiTiEs acqUiRED bY THE gROUP HaVE bEEn PRODUcing waTcHmaking caLibREs.
within Aiôn to showcase the Group's spectrum of expertise.
In which region is your manufacturing site located?
After examining the various options available for locating the company, including in the Jura Arc, consulting our future industrial partners, and ascertaining the aspirations of the personnel working in the watchmaking sector, the Group decided to locate in La Ciotat, on the Mediterranean coast.
Can you elaborate on the reasons behind this choice?
This decision was made for several strategic reasons. In terms of recruitment, the Aiôn Group intends on hiring 160 employees over the next five years. In consultation with our partners located in
Franche-Comté, who struggle to retain their qualified workforce as they are easily seduced away by Swiss salaries, it was decided to move to another region so as not to further deprive the Franche-Comté local fabric of its talented workforce.
Secondly, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region is already home to cuttingedge industries where innovation is rife. The skills necessary for manufacturing watches, such as precision mechanics for example, are already in practice there in addition to a qualified workforce. Moreover, Marseille offers a watchmaking school training some thirty technicians each year.
Finally, the region enjoys excellent national and international transport links throughout the world whilst its quality of life is legendary. Since the announcement of our Group's creation, resumes have
been pouring in. Many specialists in the sector are keen to join us and share their skills.
The economic and political actors of the PACA region (Provence-AlpesCôte d'Azur), deeply involved in the reindustrialisation of their territory, welcomed us with open arms.
Where does Aiôn obtain its material and what are your production capacities?
The Aiôn Group SA acquired a Swiss manufacturer of movements, known to date as a subcontractor for major watchmaking brands, that also has a complete catalogue of proprietary calibres. One of its major strengths is its know-how in developing and producing in-house balance springs.
This operational industrial tool, consisting of approximately 450 machines, already enables the company to mass produce high-end mechanical movements. These include specific calibres developed in
small quantities for specialist luxury watch brands. New machines will be added to strengthen this site over the next few years, bringing a theoretical production capacity of 400,000 movements and watches per year to the manufacturer.
The theoretical production figure announced is significant. In practice, what is the situation?
The primary objective is to reach a production of 50,000 units by the end of 2023. The installed machines will turn out parts according to the growing needs of the Group's flagship brands, as well as the client brands of our various departments.
What is the size of the company? How many people do you employ?
The individual subsidiaries came into operation at the end of 2021 in La Ciotat. Currently fifteen people are already working for the Group. These employees
a nEw THREE-HanD caLibRE wiTH manUFacTURER's DaTE wiLL bE PREsEnTED sOOn.
include production operators who have been in training for six months, qualified watchmakers, and support functions such as accountants, sales, and marketing. In the next six months, other positions will join the subsidiaries including engineers, production managers, community managers, and others.
As far as your movement production is concerned, can you tell us more?
The Aiôn manufacturer will be producing mechanical movements in medium and large series. It will develop calibres on request, in small series, notably for the luxury watch industry. Numerous finishing and customisation options will also be made available. For decades now, the industrial facilities acquired by the Group have been producing watchmaking calibres for the leading watch brands in Switzerland. It is therefore going to safeguard this rare know-how by continuing the manufacture of automatic movements whose reliability is confirmed by decades of experience on the market, although this time around by producing
and assembling them in France.
Are the movements produced already established?
The calibres that the factory produced were often "rebadged" before being assembled. These plans are now owned by Aiôn. Some slight technical improvements are currently being made to the movements that will be presented in the catalogue and marketed within a few months.
Moving the machines from the Swiss site to the new factory site in La Ciotat will take place in the coming months. Professional visits will be organised once the installations are fully set up and ready for use.
The sun is shining its rays down off the walls of my home. My children are active playing, reading, drawing, making up stories, while my husband is busy putting away the things they leave behind. Meanwhile, I'm in my kitchen repotting my latest acquisitions, beautiful syngoniums of different varieties. The music floats in the air like a heady perfume. It is a cosy Sunday morning, one like any other Sunday morning.
Suddenly I hear loud thumping and excited chirping on my terrace. Four sparrows are swirling close to the ground with high-pitched calls. In surprise, I go out to find two of my cats hovering over a baby sparrow they cornered. It was its parents who alerted me. I shoo the cats away, giving the baby bird a moment's respite, allowing it to escape to safety. I watch it recover from its emotions, with its heart beating furiously in its little chest. I don't know how old it is, I haven't had any domestic birds for around 15 years. I'm content with the sparrows that built their nest in one of my windows in 2019, though I know it's
still very young from its grey down and yellow-cornered bill. Perhaps this was its first excursion with its parents before it fell into the clutches of my felines. A very simple moment in a bird's life turned into a dramatic experience.
Once the fear subsided, the baby bird came out of its hiding place and tried to spread its short wings. One of them did not want to obey, but it would not give up. Its parents communicate with it, guiding it, while it hops around, responding to them from time to time, and pecking at the ground. Cautiously, my husband placed a bowl of fresh water and I tossed some seeds in its direction. It didn't seem to fear our presence even though we kept our distance. For my part, I couldn't take my eyes off it for a second. If anything were to happen to it, if it failed to return to its nest or worse, I would never get over it. Too bad for the syngoniums, I stayed on the terrace to scrutinise its every move. The mother bird maintained a dialogue with her little one, came to reassure it, to give it a peck, to inspect the beating of its wings.
I watched it spread its wings, flapping them, to confirm that it still could not take flight, that it did not have either the strength or the courage. It was not ready. The mother waits, accompanies it. After a few hours, relief finally arrives: mother and baby bird take off together towards their nest.
I felt overwhelmed with emotion because not only was I happy with this outcome and admired the protective instinct of "my" sparrows, but what they had just experienced in one day reminded me of how I feel on a daily basis with my children, from the day they were born until the day they no longer would need me. Another facet of time I was not aware of.
